Today Is... 📆

GregRedd · October 17, 2021, 6:08am

It is Sunday, 17 October 2021
(W41 | D290 | 75 rem)

Ever wish there was one day a year where you could take all the conventions of proper dress and throw them out the window?

Wish no more! Wear Something Gaudy Day allows you to let all your best examples of excruciatingly bad taste hang out for the world to see.

History of Wear Something Gaudy Day

In the 1970’s the hit TV Comedy “Three’s Company” we were introduced to a character by the name of Larry Dallas. It was from this character that we first were told that Wear Something Gaudy Day was something to be celebrated, and were given a fantastic example of how.

Ever since then, people have been celebrating Wear Something Gaudy day with a complete lack of style and fashion!

How to Celebrate Wear Something Gaudy Day

It’s not that difficult - wear something gaudy. And done.

Obviously the best way is to choose something that is utterly without taste or fashion sense to wear, but that isn’t the only way.

You can find your way to thrift stores to locate out of date fashions that are rarely seen out and about today, and put together an ensemble designed to shock and appal. Getting a group of friends together for a ‘Wear Something Gaudy Day’ shindig can bring a lot of fun to the day as well.

The point of Wear Something Gaudy day is to stand out, so choose brightly colored fabrics with intense patterns.

Maybe you can haul down your grandmothers drapes for the day and be seen in a shocking paisley brocade, or dig up those purchases you made that you didn’t realize were awful until you got them home.

Wear Something Gaudy Day is your opportunity to show off the bright garishness that has passed through the annals of fashion history! Even throwing on a eye-searing boa can be a simple way to celebrate, or you can just wear colors that clash. Everyone has pieces in their wardrobe that just don’t go, so get in there and make peoples eyes waggle!

Check out old shows and cartoons to really find ways to bring out the gaudy in Wear Something Gaudy day. Check out the fashion accessories of yesteryear, like the ever awful ascot, to the large and ostentatious fashions of the victorian era, or go all out and rent a neon-yellow zoot suit to really bring attention to yourself.

Don’t be shy, it’s all about standing out, causing a scene, and snubbing your nose at the rules of fashion!

Get gaudy y’all! And make it a funday Sunday!

Know more:

https://www.pinterest.com/amp/kasnewyork/wear-something-gaudy-day/

aldyr · October 17, 2021, 7:52am

Wears pink onnie under black clothes

czc · October 17, 2021, 8:20am

I don’t think I have anything.

DarthMol · October 17, 2021, 9:25am

Good news for you, a borat mankini is suitable too

czc · October 17, 2021, 9:29am

GregRedd · October 18, 2021, 5:24am

Good morning!

It is Monday, 18 October 2021
(W42 | D291 | 74 rem)

Today is: Clean Your Virtual Desktop Day

There are tidy desktops, and cluttered desktops, organized desktops, and ones with icon scattered everywhere. Which one do you have?

If you take it in terms of acreage, there are billions of acres of virtual desktop in the world today, and much of that is heavily cluttered. Clean your Virtual Desktop day is your opportunity to bring a little sense and order to your desktop.

Clean your Virtual Desktop Day was first created by the good people at the PC Museum Canada, to encourage people to sort out their desktops and return it to that pristine vision they received when they first booted up their computer. An orderly desktop has been said to be the sign of an orderly mind, someone who has their work together, and knows what their tool is for and how to use it.

While it may seem simple, there are actually a number of ways to observe Clean Your Virtual Desktop Day.

Go through your files on your desktop and determine which ones are no longer necessary, and send them to the virtual round file (That’s the recycling bin, for all that it’s opening is rectangular).

Then sort the others into folders on your computer, or on your desktop if that’s your won’t. But don’t overdo it! So much better to have things stored in the document folder than scattered in folders across your desktop!

Transfer photos on your desktop to storage devices like flash drives or SD cards, or just save them in special folders on your hard drive. And make use of any cloud storage you may have access to as well. You do not want catastrophe to strike and have all those precious memories lost.

However you go about it, cleaning out your desktop will make it easier to find things, and be more productive with your PC.

While you’re at it, be sure to consider changing your theme to take advantage of your beautifully clean desktop! There’s a lot of options out there in just about every style you can imagine, some of them even change up your mouse cursor to really customize your visual experience.

Start your week off with a little desktop spring cleaning. You won’t regret it! Post pics of your tidy desktops below (and if you’re really proud of them, over in the dedicated Show Us Your Current Wallpaper topic too!)

DarthMol · October 18, 2021, 9:01am

My dad’s desktop is a frightening thing. I think he just took his whole documents folder backup and copied it onto the desktop. I should let him know about Clean Your Virtual Desktop Day!

Wyvern · October 18, 2021, 9:08am

Same here, mine saves every file, download, shortcut, folders on his desktop and can never understand why he cant find anything, and why its so slow

GregRedd · October 18, 2021, 9:30am

My PC desktops have always been clear of clutter. Here’s my current desktop:

aldyr · October 18, 2021, 2:55pm

But can you make it wider?

GregRedd · October 19, 2021, 4:38am

Good morning!

It is Tuesday, 19 October 2021
(W42 | D292 | 73 rem)

Today is: International Gin and Tonic Day

International G&T Day was founded in honour of gin lover Mary Edith Keyburn, who passed away aged 95 on that date in 2010 with a G&T in a teacup by her bedside in a hospital in the USA.

According to her friends who established the day in her memory, Edith was ‘a remarkable woman who loved to have the occasional tipple of gin and tonic’. Her family smuggled the G&T into the hospital in a water bottle and hid it in plain sight in a teacup.

Starting with family and friends, the International Gin and Tonic Day Facebook page was established in 2012.

Gin and tonics have been substantially a British drink for the longest time. As a staple among the list of amazing cocktails out there, gin and tonics have a high bitterness to it, but it dies down with lime and sugar to make it palatable for most people. Whether you order it at a bar or make it at home, gin and tonics deserve their day to be celebrated.

The cocktail idea began during the reign of the British East India Company in India during the 1700’s. Malaria had been roaming around in India and became a problem. To treat malaria, George Cleghorn, a Scottish doctor, discovered that quinine, a flavour component of tonic water, could be used to treat malaria. However, not many liked the taste.

So, British officers in India in the early 1800’s began adding water, sugar, lime, and gin to the tonic water, and thus a gin and tonic was born. While tonic water isn’t used as an antimalarial treatment, tonic water contains less quinine and is sweeter.

As for the gin component of the cocktail, gin is made explicitly with juniper berries and was sold in 17th century Holland as a cure for medical issues like gout, gallstones and stomach problems.

From there, gin and tonic became a popularized British drink, one that would even transcend into popular culture. One of the most famous references for this drink was in the movie Dr. No from the James Bond series. Bond talks about one of these drinks in Jamaica, a recipe where you would squeeze a whole lime into the drink itself, making the drink tart and refreshing. While there are other references in popular culture, gin and tonics are considered to be a classic cocktail.

Organizers of the event bill it as a day when gin-lovers can enjoy their favourite drinks in the time-honoured tradition. It is an opportunity for them to step back in time, and enjoy the once-medicinal flavors of the beverage, and enjoy contemporary twists.

One of the hallmarks of the event is the sheer variety of gin and tonic recipes out there. Mixologists have plied their trade, creating beverages for practically every palate, from the person who loves bitterness to those who prefer their G&Ts spicy (yes, literally!).

International Gin and Tonic Day is an opportunity for regular drinkers to find out more about their favourite drinks. For instance, sloe gin – one of the all-time classics – is made by soaking the fruits of the blackthorn tree in sugar water for several months. Harvesters pick the sloes off the trees following the first frost of winter, usually in October or November, and then submerge them in spirits. They then leave them to steep, imparting their flavour to the rest of the gin over the following months.

We also see a proliferation of flavoured gins in trendy bars. Punters can now get their hands on rhubarb, orange, and raspberry varieties, adding a little extra kick to the experience. For those with more refined palates, several companies are now experimenting with adding herbal flavours to the drink, such as lovage. This savoury gin is nothing like the regular flavours and provides drinkers with something fundamentally new to tickle their taste buds.

It’s always gin o’clock somewhere! And remember, it’s okay if it’s to help ward off malaria. Cheers!

Know more:

https://m.facebook.com/InternationalGinAndTonicDay/

DarthMol · October 19, 2021, 9:31am

The wife will be pleased

Wyvern · October 19, 2021, 9:33am

Does vaping a gin and tonic flavour count? Since I don’t do alcohol?

GregRedd · October 19, 2021, 9:35am

That’s really a thing?? I guess so then

Wyvern · October 19, 2021, 9:38am

Dude the guy who created the flavour is one of our best juice makers. I am not even joking this flavour is spot on!

“The finest quality herbs and botanicals were used to craft the unique genever notes in Juniper.
This exquisite craft gin flavour is beautifully married with delicately carbonated pink tonic water
and enhanced with subtle hints of rose petals and fresh cucumber.
Juniper will evoke thoughts of a bygone era of integrity, craftsmanship and romance.
We dedicate Juniper to all the valiant gentleman and exuberant ladies that still walk among us!”

GregRedd · October 19, 2021, 9:52am

Well “Cheers” then I guess

GregRedd · October 20, 2021, 4:14am

Good morning!

It is Wednesday, 20 October 2021
(W42 | D293 | 72 rem)

Today is: International Chefs Day

This one is close to my heart. Started by Billy Gallagher, who was a legend of the South African culinary and hospitality industry, when he was president of WorldChefs.

Going out to restaurants one of people’s favourite activities because they get the chance to taste the best cuisine from the chefs that work behind the scenes.

International Chefs Day is a day for them, and is probably one of the best opportunities people can get to learn how to cook and connect with chefs in their local area. It’s also a great opportunity to teach kids how to cook and inspire them to become chefs. Let’s discover where it came from and what International Chefs Day is all about!

International Chef Day has been designed so that we can all learn more about the important role of a chef. If you are interested in a career in the food industry, you are a chef yourself, or you simply enjoy eating food (who doesn’t?), you can appreciate the importance and the significance of a day like this.

International Chef’s Day began back in 2004 by our very own esteemed South African chef Dr. Billy Gallagher, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Gallagher_(chef)?wprov=sfti1 who at the time was the president of WorldChefs, a network of over 100 chef associations and is focused on bringing education, competition, networking, and sustainability to the authority on cuisine.

This day is focused on educating kids around the world about the importance of eating healthy, promote the career of chefs and help change their local communities. Each year, WorldChefs and their partners create different themes to help broadcast their mission. WorldChefs started when in 1920, a Swiss cook federation introduced the idea of an international chef association, and thus in 1928, WorldChefs was established in Sorbonne, Paris.

Congresses would be held every few years and countries would assume presidency over the organization. For over 90 years and counting, WorldChefs has run from becoming an association to a worldwide organization to help educate people about the importance of healthy food.

In 2017, WorldChefs’ theme was the idea of a superhero or to be exact, “Foods For Healthy Heroes”, and beforehand was about the art of placing food on a plate, or for short, presentation. This day is also used to celebrate the idea of a chef as a noble profession in which they hope to pass down knowledge and culinary skills to the next generation of chefs.

Salute the chefs in your life today - both the professional ones and the domestic ones too!

Know more:

https://sachefs.co.za/

https://www.internationalchefsday.worldchefs.org/

https://worldchefs.org/?s=International+chefs+day

murfle · October 20, 2021, 4:48am

Food! Glorious food!

Now I’m hungry.

But that first image struck me. Nestle promoting healthier kids? I guess as long as you use their products…

GregRedd · October 21, 2021, 4:40am

Good morning!

It is Thursday, 21 October 2021
(W42 | D294 | 71 rem)

Today is: Count Your Buttons Day

Time for something totally random and nonsensical- Count Your Buttons Day is celebrated on October 21st. The origin or purpose of this day isn’t exactly known.

Perhaps people had random buttons around their house and wanted a day to commemorate counting them? Or, maybe people who collect buttons wanted a day to celebrate counting them. There could be endless possibilities as to why this unofficial holiday was created.

They’re a common part of any modern-day garment, buttons. They’re found on our shirts, our jackets, our pants, and pockets, button-fly jeans are a popular alternative to zipper pants. Buttons get in everywhere, and come in every imaginable shape and size, and counting your buttons can be both practical and fun.

Just think how much more difficult your life would be if the button was never invented. What would you use to fasten your shirt closed? Count Your Buttons Day is a great opportunity to make sure all your garments are in order and to ruminate on the idea of a life without these useful tools.

Buttons have been around nearly as long as we’ve had clothing, being used for decoration and securing different pieces of clothing.

Throughout the world, there is a rich history of buttons, from the earliest buttons as seashells straight through

to the gorgeous Czech glass buttons with their ornate designs.

It wasn’t until sometime in the 13th Century in Germany that buttonholes first made an appearance. They were an almost immediate sensation, with them being nearly ubiquitous by the 14th century. From that point, buttons have been involved in every new clothing design that’s come up, and there has yet to be an era of clothing that hasn’t been graced by these beautiful notions.

During the industrial revolution, things changed again. Until the end of the 18th century, most people made buttons crudely at home, using cottage industry techniques. But with the advent of powered machinery, professional manufacturers, and factory standards, prices fell considerably. Suddenly, buttons and buttonholes became cheap and ubiquitous, allowing anyone to enjoy them, from the monarch at the top of society down to the poorest peasant at the bottom.

In the 20th century, the history of the button changed again. Mass production meant that getting hold of buttons was easier than ever before, and they began to find their way onto practically all clothes as a means of fastening them. They became so widespread that they became a recognisable symbol of working people.

Buttons, however, never came to be regarded as cheap and nasty. Despite being used extensively, they retained their status as a signal of quality. Even today, top designers rely heavily on buttons and will often use them in favour of other fastening methods, such as zips. Tailors use matte horn buttons to indicate higher-quality suits for their clients.

Buttons have a fascinating history, and there’s also a great hobby to be found in counting your buttons. There are button enthusiasts all over the world who have a frankly immense collection of buttons from every era and manufacturer. Bone Buttons, plastic buttons, bronze, and glass, even metal and wood, the types of buttons you can collect are limitless!

Count your buttons. Count the ones you’re wearing right now. Count other peoples buttons - with their permission of course, lest you want a good slapping! Use it as a form of therapy and mind calming.

Finally, Count Your Buttons Day is also a chance for you to count your blessings. You can use it as an opportunity to think about all of the good things in your life and be more positive.

And if you happen to not be wearing anything with a single button today, that’s okay too - no one will think anything less of you!

GregRedd · October 21, 2021, 7:05am

I’’m wearing 16 right now.